VZCZCXRO6562
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1086 3491440
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151440Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0423
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1311
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 2972
RUEHLE/AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG 0005
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2306
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 0045
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0054
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0055
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0019
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0139
RUEHMT/AMCONSUL MONTREAL
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC 0004
RUEHMRE/AMCONSUL MARSEILLE 0006

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001086 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR INR/R/MR; AF/C; AF/PD; AF/PA; AF/RSA; IIP/G/AF AWELDEN 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC OIIP OPRC KPAO PREL PHUM PINR SCUL SOCI CG
SUBJECT:   EMBASSY'S MARK TWAIN LITERARY PRIZE HELPS 
           CONGOLESE WRITERS FIND THEIR VOICE 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  PAS Kinshasa conceived, organized and sponsored 
the monthly Mark Twain Literary Prize from June to December 2009. 
Due to the event's enormous popular success, Ambassador has 
 
announced that the contest will be extended for another six-month 
period.  More than 150 short works of fiction were entered into the 
contest; six monthly winners and two grand prize winners were 
selected; press coverage of each monthly event was extensive; the 
program was well received by the public; and the stories themselves 
have provided important insights into Congolese values and culture. 
End summary. 
¶2.  (SBU) The Mark Twain Literary Prize was launched in June 2009 by 
PAS Kinshasa.  The contest solicited submissions of short works of 
fiction (10,000 words or less), written in French by Congolese 
citizens residing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). 
The program's goals were to encourage freedom of expression, support 
Congolese writers of fiction, promote mutual understanding between 
the embassy and local population, create a regular event for 
outreach and press coverage, and develop strong and mutually 
beneficial relationships with key contacts in the literary and 
cultural communities.  An award of $500 was given to the best story 
submitted to the Embassy prior to the 15th of each month.  The 
laureates were selected by a jury including PAO, PDO, and three 
local dignitaries (a member of the National Assembly who runs a 
theater group, a prominent literary critic, and a young creative 
entrepreneur).  At the end of six months, a Grand Prize winner was 
selected from among the monthly laureates and awarded $1,000 (in the 
end, the jury could not decide between two excellent stories, so the 
two writers -- both female -- were given Grand Prize awards). 
¶3.  (SBU) The prize was named in honor of Mark Twain because of that 
writer's imagination, accessibility, and his use of fiction as a 
medium for both entertainment and social criticism.  From the 
beginning, the prize stimulated an enthusiastic response from local 
writers.  More than 150 stories were received, through e-mail and 
hard-copy submissions.  Some 50-60 people attended each of the six 
award ceremonies.  The announcement of the launching of the prize, 
as well as each award ceremony, received extensive -- and 
overwhelmingly positive - press coverage.  PAS Kinshasa commissioned 
a local graphic design firm to design a poster and bookmarks, using 
the Congolese colors of blue and gold.  The posters were visually 
striking, creating a memorable brand for the contest.  The bookmarks 
were used to disseminate rules for the prize and remind potential 
contestants of the deadlines. 
¶4.  (SBU) The stories submitted offer insights into various issues 
of concern to the local population.  Congolese culture is at the 
same time creative and circumspect.  It is sometimes difficult to 
get local contacts to speak candidly about the most vexing social 
and political problems, especially when they involve conflicts 
Qand political problems, especially when they involve conflicts 
between the Congolese themselves.  But through the vehicle of 
fiction, writers were able to describe the challenges average 
citizens face in their daily lives, and express frustration with 
issues such as corruption or Sexual- and Gender-Based Violence 
(SGBV). 
¶5.  (SBU) Certain themes were emphasized in many stories.  These 
themes included:  SGBV and other women's issues, the clash of 
cultures (either between Africa and the West, or within tribal and 
ethnic groups), and the stresses of daily life in the DRC.  Although 
only a handful of women submitted stories, SGBV and other women's 
issues were prominently featured.  One of the Grand Prize stories, 
"Le Mortier" (The Mortar), described a young urban woman's 
acceptance of traditional marriage and village life.  The other 
Grand Prize winner, "Moi et Mon Cheveu," (Me and My Hair) was an 
ironic study of the importance of physical appearance for women in 
Congolese culture.  Sexual and Gender Based Violence was addressed 
explicitly by several stories, and some of the underlying cultural 
biases against women that allow such a problem to persist in the DRC 
were illustrated, both explicitly and implicitly.  Even some stories 
that were meant to be critical of SGBV demonstrated deep-rooted 
sexual biases on the part of the male writers.  The fact that only a 
few of the more than 150 stories submitted were from female writers 
points to the obstacles faced by women in Congolese society. 
¶6.  (SBU) Several stories address Congolese relations with the West. 
 One story, the first monthly prize winner, described how a street 
kid's life was changed by a chance interaction with a rich 
Westerner.  Other stories described ambiguous feelings toward the 
international community, life in Europe and the diaspora community. 
Many of the stories discussing changes in fortune are like fables. 
Events are adventitious, almost random, expressing the belief that 
life is beyond their control, and can change dramatically in an 
instant. 
¶7.  (SBU) Another prominent theme in many of the stories is the 
stress of daily life.  They describe difficulties in transportation 
and communication, lack of economic opportunities, corruption and 
cruelty.  One submission tells the story of a young college girl 
whose professor threatens to fail her unless she sleeps with him. 
Another story describes the daily nightmare of riding in a public 
bus in Kinshasa.  Other stories describe traditional village life 
with scenes evoking romantic pastoralism and often adapting the 
style nd tone of traditional folk tales.  Other social isues 
discussed include the difficulties of inter-tribal marriage, the 
social ostracism experienced by albinos and the handicapped, and the 
stress of severe economic pressures on family life. 
¶8.  (SBU) At what was supposed to be the final awards ceremony on 
December 9, the ambassador announced that the Mark Twain Prize would 
be extended for another six months.  This announcement was met with 
great enthusiasm from the audience.  In the future, PAS hopes to 
extend the reach of the Mark Twain Prize and solicit more stories 
from provincial areas.  The six winning stories will be published in 
both French and English versions and distributed free of charge to 
participants, jury members and select contacts.  And PAS Kinshasa is 
exploring the possibility of writers' workshops and other supporting 
programs to further develop the community that has formed around the 
Mark Twain Prize. 
¶9.  (SBU) Comment:  The Mark Twain Prize can be judged a success by 
several measures.  We believe the level of participation and the 
positive feelings generated by the program have helped many 
Congolese better appreciate American culture and the U.S. Embassy. 
Press coverage of monthly events announcing winners has been 
widespread and overwhelmingly positive.  Winners, as well as jury 
members and other participants, have formed a community -- now they 
actively promote the prize and through it, the embassy.  And the 
Qactively promote the prize and through it, the embassy.  And the 
stories themselves are rich cultural documents.  By offering the 
Congolese a platform through which they could express themselves, 
using the example of a great American writer as inspiration, PAS 
Kinshasa was able to support local culture, promote American values, 
and disseminate a positive image of the U.S. presence in the DRC. 
Writers and their literary creations have historically been a strong 
force for change in countries throughout the world.  In Congo, where 
there are few paths to publication, writers are finding their voice, 
 with the help of the embassy.  End comment. 
 
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